Dragon Rider (DragonMage Saga)

by Platt, S. P.

  They stood in front of the rock face out of sight of the tower with the Renegade in and let their magic feel the spell, to see the spell. With their magic the spell looked like a great woven carpet that was hung on a wall. But this one was so fantastic that it was hard to see the pattern.

  The pattern was so fine that they had to look closely to be able to see any sort of shape to the pattern. They followed the pattern till it came to the area where the Renegade was working on. This time they had to be careful they didn’t get to rapped up in spell that it nearly took them.

  They where just having a look and wanted to see how far he had got this time. Coming to the area where the spell had been disrupted he could see that it was small this time and so Angel had an idea. ‘Let’s see if we can get it to heal itself so we don’t have the Renegade out after us?’

  ‘Lets just try with our magic making the spell feel good and wanting to heal itself. Just let’s try to give it a boost of positive energy and hope it will try to heal the area. They started to do this when they become very tired and Aura and her brothers and sister pull them out of it before they weaken too much.

  Their dragons had been with them in their minds when they tried it. They were able to pull them free but it had taken a lot out of them and they were now going to have to get back very quickly before they fall asleep.

  They staggered into the next deck and across it without seeing any of the creatures in the air. They finely came to the deck next to the schools and listened as the creatures where still attacking the school. They opened the door and could see some of the creatures up in the air over the school deck.

  When they got the chance they quickly ran into the cave so that the creatures would not see them. Getting to the other side they ran to the door and slowly opened it to see if the wizard that was on patrol would see them, but there was no sign of him.

  They quickly went down to the room and unlocked the secret door and went in and locked it behind them. They ran to the other end of the hall and unlocked the door to their room. Once in they locked it and stood and listened to see if they could hear anything of the fighting. After a little they found they could not hear anything and so they left their room and headed up stairs to where the fighting was.

  They came out into the school and now they could see the creatures attacking. Angel looked at the others and spoke. ‘We are going to run out there with surprise on our faces and make it look like we never knew what was happening. It’s not late so we would not have missed our meal. So let’s go and help load the lances.

  They went through the door and could see Gavrie over with some other wizards firing spells at the creatures. Gavrie saw them and indicated they get to the cave and help with the lances.

  They ran into the cave before any creature could try and get them, spending the rest of the time loading lances even though they were very tired, but they were not going to show that. The creatures finally left as it got dark, there were not many left and all over the deck were dead creatures, lots of dead creatures.

  That was going to be a big job pushing them over the side of the deck, magic would help but it would still take them a while. Gavrie came into the cave and over to them, looking at them with a look that bordered on anger and worry. Angel looked at him and hung his head a bit as he spoke. We were in our secret room and never heard anything; it was only as we come out of the room that we got a faint nose like fighting. We came as soon as we heard.’

  This seamed to satisfy Gavrie and he told them to go and get some food into them as all this work would have made them hungry. They left in a hurry before he could think about them any more.

  Having got a meal they sat at a table and found themselves very tired. It took a great deal of effort to stay and eat. After they finely finished eating they headed up to their rooms and went straight into bed and asleep.

  The next morning they were up and ready as they felt very good with the longer sleep. Going down to breakfast they talked on what they would do today. ‘We are going to have a look at the old spell as soon as we can after lunch. I don’t think we did anything to help the spell as we had to come out of it to quick.’ Angel said as they neared the meal hall.

  Medwin slowed them down as they neared the hall. ‘Hold up a bit, are we going to see if the Renegade is still here first before we look at the spell. If he was working on the spell yesterday when we tried to heal it, when we were pulled out of it could he have felt anything?’

  ‘Surely not we were only just lightly feeling the spell trying to get it to heal itself, he couldn’t have felt anything.’ Shylyn had a worried look on her face.

  Maive stopped and stood in front of them, stopping them in their tracks. ‘We have to think the worst and assume he may have felt something. Our dragons may have picked up on something when they pulled us out, we had better ask them and soon?’

  ‘We can do that while we are eating just call them and see if they felt anything or weather the Renegades dragon may have picked up on something if the Renegade took it out on him.’ Angel started moving into the hall.

  Getting their food and finding a table in a corner with no other students or wizards around. They called their dragons and waited for them. It was not long before they entered their minds.

  ‘What’s wrong you sound as if you are really worried and there is a touch of fear in there as well?’ Aura was worried as she asked about the early call.

  The other dragons felt the fear in their minds and were asking the same questions. Angel tried to reassure Aura and getting the others to do the same. He did not want the dragons worried as there was not a lot they can do about it.

  ‘We need to know if when you pulled us out of the old spell, did you feel anything of the Renegade?’ Angel had stopped eating as he asked.

  ‘We did not have time to feel if the Renegade felt what we did or you did. We had to get you all out, as the spell was taking all your energy. We were too worried for you to notice anything.’ Aura’s mind had calmed down a little but there was still that little fear there.

  Angel could feel it but ignored it as he did not want to get her upset. They still felt the fear that yesterday they nearly lost their riders and he did not want that at all. Medwin and Shylyn as well as Maive were feeling it in their dragons as well and not wanting to upset them any more than Angel.

  ‘What about the Renegade is he still there or has he gone. His dragon might have felt something from the Renegade when he comes out of the tower. You know he takes it out on his dragon when we have fixed the spell the last couple of times?’ Angel spoke hoping that the wizard was gone.

  ‘We can’t feel his dragon there and we were to tired last knight to have noticed him going. We will have to see when he comes back, for if he did he will try and find out who is responsible.’ Aura had confided in the others as she told Angel.

  Angel sat eating steering off into the distance and his thoughts on what they could do if the Renegade felt them. If he knew and had picked up on what happened yesterday then he would have stayed around and worked really hard for he would have felt them leave. I think we are safe but we will have to be very careful from now on.

  They finished their breakfast and went to the morning class, which was up in the Crystal Chamber again. This morning they had a different wizard who looked as if he was 100 years old. He was going to be taken the lessons for the next few days while Gavrie was away at a meeting on the attacks.

  They spent the morning going over what they had learnt with Gavrie. The morning dragged on and on for them and finally lunch came and they were off. They had to have lunch before they could look at the spell so it was a fast lunch.

  They went to a nice quite place and sat looking at the rock face and just gently felt with their magic the old spell. They were very careful as they did not want a repeat of what happened yesterday. Angel started and the others slowly came in and lent their magic to Angel as he and his magic was the strongest and had an affinity with the spell.

&n
bsp; That’s what happened the time he nearly got overwhelmed by the old spell. The magic of the spell was accepting him and so he nearly got in thrilled by it. Now the others watch him very closely so it won't happen again.

  Angel just let his magic sense brush lightly of the old spell. He spoke to the others as his magic touched the spell ever so gently. ‘I will only just lightly touch the spell so keep an eye on me and if it feels like I have gone to deep quickly pull me out. I don’t want to lose myself like the last time.’

  They reassured him as he just lightly touched the spell. ‘I can feel it, now I will move out along the spell till I can feel the area where the Renegade is attacking it.’ He moved along the old spell just barely touching it and being very conscience of the spell.

  He stops as a thought comes to him. ‘Why is the old spell not affecting the Renegade, he is still putting a magic spell into the old spell but it is not affecting him like it did for me?’

  The others couldn’t think of any reason why it wouldn’t. They just kept feeding him their magic as he needed it. Angel started moving along the spell again still wondering why. He will try and find out one day but for now he returned his thoughts to the job at hand.

  ‘I can feel the spot coming; here you feel it, see it in your mind?’ They all came into his mind as he showed them. Their dragons were there with them all the way but ready at a moments notice to pull them out.

  They could feel where the Renegade had been attacking the spell and could see it was an area of about two hand spans in diameter. ‘Can you see the edge of it, now look closer but don’t touch the spell just use your magic to see it. Now look at it very close and you will see a red area all the way around. I can feel the old spell fighting what the Renegade has done.

  There was excitement in his voice and Aura could feel it in his mind as well. ‘What we did the other night even though we were pulled out of it very quickly we taught the old spell how to fight what is happening.’

  Medwin speaking softly. ‘Can we carry on and help it a bit more, what if we work the spell that fixed it last time. Would that help it fight it faster and repair it quicker?’ He was shocked as the others were as they had only just been in for a short time before being pulled out.

  The little they did has done a lot, for such an old spell to change because of what they have done is something. It also shows the old spell holding the school to the face of the mountain was learning something. They were starting to think maybe the old spell is alive for it to change.

  What they had not thought about was just maybe they were changing the spell itself as they tried to fix it each time. They were learning old magic and thinking it was their own knew magic blending in, it was in fact them understanding old magic and how it was created.

  They were going to have to think long and hard as to what is happening with the spell and Angel knew that. ‘I think we had better leave it as it is and keep an eye on what is happening with the spell. There is a lot we don’t know about magic and at the moment the old spell is fighting what the Renegade is doing to it. I think we will come and see what it is like tomorrow.’

  They came out of the magic sense and got up and moved around to loosen sore legs from sitting. Deciding they will try the library, as they should be allowed back there again. We’ll see if they can find more on the Renegades and see if there is much on portals and how long they can last.

  They go via the meal hall and grab something to eat to take up with them. They feel they are eating more now than they have ever eaten in their lives. They put it down to the magic and what it does to them. So they like to have food around in case they need it.

  Grabbing a large basket they fill it with bread and cheese and some meats as well as drink. Having loaded up they go up to the library and proceed to find an area where they can set up for books. Angel was sitting eating when a thought comes to him. ‘What about also looking for anything on old magic and any spells that might be old?’

  The others were looking at him when he suddenly up and moving to start looking. Medwin spoke to them as he moved off. ‘This is going to be random as we have begun to see there is not a lot of stuff on Renegades, the little we have found. It is not in the master index so they have been placed in the library at random to hide them. It is going to be a long search.’

  The girls went off together and Angel headed off after Medwin. As he walked Angel began thinking on what Medwin just said. He is right what bits we have found have not been in the master index, why would they do that unless it has information they don’t want anybody to find.

  This search is going to be long but we must look, for at the moment we are blind to what we are doing. We need to find out more, there must be more, we only need to find it. I will just walk down an isle and look at the names of the books and see if anything looks like it should not be there.

  Got to find information on portals as well, I’ll let the others know when we get back together. I just hope we are doing the right thing in trying to fight the Renegade. ‘Aura are you there I need to talk with you?’

  ‘I’m here Angel, you sound worried about something what is it?’ She felt the indecision in his mind.

  ‘Are we doing the right thing or do you think we should go to Gavrie and tell him everything? I want to so much not to be scared but I am?’ Angel stopped and sat down against the book shelves as he spoke with Aura.

  ‘I don’t know Angel, all I do know is that since meeting you my life has changed and it has changed for the better. My brothers and sister would agree with me there. Since you and your friends have come into our lives we have done things we never would have. We have feelings that have never been in our minds and bodies before. They are feelings we would never give up now, you and your friends are a part of us and we thank you for that.’ Aura just let her feelings and emotions pour out into Angels mind.

  Angel sat there, tears streaming down his face with the strong feelings that Aura just expressed to him. ‘Thank you Aura that’s what I needed to hear. We are meant to be together and we are meant to fight the Renegade. That takes away a little of the fear of are we doing the right thing. Now let’s find anything that will help us?’

  Angel got up off the floor and wiped his eyes and carried on looking at books. He stopped and thought about where books like that would be hidden. As he looked along the shelves moving along them coming up to the next shelve and then going up till it was hard to see the writing on the books from down at this level.

  ‘Aura if you wanted to hide books so they could not be seen wouldn’t you put them up on the highest shelf so that from this level you could not see the writing. So we should be looking up on the top shelf?’ Angel started to climb the shelf as he spoke.

  ‘That would be one place and a very good place, but be careful as you climb. I think it would be better if the others where here so if you find anything you can drop it down to them?’ Aura called to her brothers and sister to let the others know what Angel was doing and where he was.

  The others turned to find Angel at the top shelf looking along to see if he could see anything that might be any good. Angles eyes looked along and then he turned back the other way before shaking his head and turning to look across the isles at the top on the other side.

  He was about to climb down when he spotted something straight across from him. ‘Medwin can you climb the other side and right across from me is a book, which has a red and gold band running down the spine. I think it might be of use?’

  ‘I’ll climb and see. Can you see what it says from where you are?’ Medwin was almost half way up as he finished speaking.

  ‘Not all of it, what I can make out is portal and we need to find out more on them. That’s it not far now can you see the one I mean?’ Angel started to climb down as he finished talking to Medwin.

  Medwin had reached the area Angel had indicated. ‘I think I see the one, yes that’s it I will drop it down to you.’

  Medwin pulled the book out and dropped it down
to Angel. He climbed down to see what they had found. They all gathered around to see if it was any good. Angel opened the cover and read the title. ‘Portals and their everyday uses. I think that is one book we can use now lets see if there is any other books a round.’

  They walked the isle and Medwin and Angel would climb to the top and see what was in the top shelves. After they got to the end of the isle all they had was just the first book and time was running out so they decided to settle for the one book for the moment.

  They headed back to where they had their food and things which they had placed in a little area where anybody coming in would not be able to see them. Sitting down Shylyn started to look through the book while Medwin and Angel had a drink.

  Shylyn spent a while looking at the book before closing it and telling them what they had found. ‘The books good, as it tells you all about opening portals and what keeps them open. As we have not had time to be shown in class yet this will give us great help. I think the portal that the teachers will show us will be small as the book tells us you need a lot of magic to open big portals.’

  Maive moved closer and looked over Shylyns shoulder to see the book better. ‘Lets work out by the book how many wizards it would need to open a portal the size to let hundreds of the creatures into this dimension.’

  They sat there and read the book a bit more getting as much information on the size one wizard could open. Then they could try and work out about how many creatures you could get through it and how long it could be kept open. After a while they closed the book and started to work out how many creatures one wizard could bring through.

  They stopped and looked and decided to try and work their figures again as it did not make any sense the figures they had just worked out. Still they came to the same figures and the look on their faces showed just how big a portal it would have to be.

  ‘If these figures are right one wizard would not be able to get more than three creatures in before he would have to close the portal. One wizard would never be able to let the amount of creatures through that are getting through. It would take at lest ten wizards to open a decent size portal to be able to allow that many through.’ Angel whistled as he finished working it out.